Headspace problem? Short throat?

[Ledd Slinger]

As long as the bearing suface of the bullet does not drop below the top of the case mouth, there's no reason you can't use 69gr bullets. In my experience, all designs of Sierra bullets can be very accurate at just about any seating depth. If you happen to experience excessive pressure, you'll just have to reduce the powder charge. But any load used for the 69gr bullets from a SAAMI spec manual should be safe. Just start a bit above minimum loads and work up. A good chronograph and watching your fired primer warning signs will let you know when you are close to max pressures

 

[SpookyPistolero]

Small aside: if I have already performed a ladder test to find good nodes, would I need to reperform this after altering my seating depth?

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Small aside: if I have already performed a ladder test to find good nodes, would I need to reperform this after altering my seating depth?

No telling until you try it, but would be a good idea to shoot the most accurate load charge weight, then shoot two loads with .2gr more and .2gr less. Shouldn't have to be a full ladder test if it's still shooting good with the load you chose for it at the current seating depth.

 

[fguffey]

- My PTG go gauge will close, but with some pressure.

You have confused everyone with the go-gage, the bolt will close with some pressure. No one knows what that means, a very fine smith was accused of stretching receivers because of his methods and techniques. When closing the bolt on a gage that is too long for the chamber you are doing the same thing he was accused of, he was accused of stretching receivers.

the very fine smith was not stretching receivers, if I had your go-gage and rifle I could measure the length of the chamber from the shoulder to the bolt face without putting the receiver into a bind. Forcing the bolt closed on a go=gage is a very bad habit.

If your rifle and go-gage belong to me I would reduce the length of the case when sizing by shimming the case head off the shell holder deck. I would start with .003". Your bolt should close on a go-gage: Problem, no one understands what that is, case that is sized to minimum length/full length sized. Your bolt should close on a go-gage, if it doesn't the chamber is a short chamber.

I form/size cases for short chambers. I use RCBS shell holders when sizing/forming cases for short chambers, the RCBS shell holder allow me to form/size cases for short chambers that are .012" shorter than a minimum length case.

F. Guffey